Cloth-governing apparatus for guiding and straightening woven fabrics.



. PATENTED SEPT. 29,-1903.. A. WOOD & E. NIGHTINGALE. CLOTH GOVERNING APPARATUS FOR GUIDING AND STRAIGHTENING WOVEN FABRICS.

APPLICATION H D in. 11. 1902.

2 SHEETS-11321 1.

N0 MODEL.

No. 739,968. PATENTBD SEPT. 29, 1903.

A. WO0D &' B. 'NIGHTINGALE. A CLOTH GOVERNING APPARATUS FOR GUIDINGAAND STRAIGHTBNING WOVEN FABRICS.

H0 MODEL.

U ITED STATEs Patented September 29, 1909'.

ABRAHAM WOOD AND EDWARD NIGHTINGALE, OF RAMSBO'ITOM,

ENGLAND; SAID NIGHTINGALE ASSIGNOR OF HIS RIGHT TO THOMAS WOOD, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND. V

CLOTH-GOVERNING APPARATUS FOR GUIDING AND'STRAIGHTENING WOVEN FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming'part of Letters Patent No. 739,968, dated September 29, 1903. 7

Application filed February 11, 1902. Serial No. 93,580. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ABRAHAM WVOOD, jew

eler, residing at Bridge street, Ranisbottom, and EDWARD NIGHTINGALE, engineer, residing at Bolton road, Stubbins, Ramsbottom, in the county of Lancaster, England, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvernents in Cloth-Governing Apparatus for Guiding, Straightening, and Opening Out lVoven Fabrics, (for which we have madcapplication in Great Britain, No. 14,355, dated July 15, 1901,) of which the following is a specification.

Our said invention has reference to clothgoverning apparatus for openin g out, straight-- ening, and guiding woven fabrics.

It is to apparatus designed to automatically insure, by electrically-operated means, the

governing or opening'out of passing fabric that our invention relates.

Our invention will be clearly understood from the following description, in which reference is made to the annexed three sheets ofening, opening-out, and governing apparatus in accordance with our invention. Fig. 1 shows the opening-out and guiding rollers with their supporting-brackets detached from the rest of the apparatus for the sake of clearness in the drawings. The angular dotted lines 0 O in Figs. 1 and 1 represent the'axial line of the rollers, and these lines C C intersect when the roller-brackets h are secured at 0 as will be understood. On Sheet 2, Fig. 2 is an end view of the supporting-frames shown in Fig. 1 Fig. .8 is a sectional elevation taken on the line X X, 1, and shows one of the movable brackets which carry the opening-out and guiding rollers. Fig. 4 represents a partial view of Fig. 3 and shows the finger and contact-plate. Fig. 5 shows a view of part of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line Y Y, Fig. l. 7 is a sectional view of one of the movableroller-brackets and is introduced to show more clearly the arrangement of wires for conveying the current which controls the action of the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a detail view indicating means for driving one of the rollers positively.

In carrying our invention into effect the action of pairs of rollers a b are electrically controlled, and such rollers a Z) are arranged to act on the selvages of the fabric to be dealt with. The rollers CL Z) are mounted on brackets c, which are arranged to slide toward and from each other, so as to accommodate various widths of 'fabric,'as is well understood.

In the drawings the brackets c are shown sustained on cross bars or stays d d and are moved inward and outward by means of a screw-threaded spindle or shaft 8, operated by a handle f. To obtain the reverse rotation of the halves of the spindle or shaft 6, we utilize a loose intermediate miter-wheel 9, gearing with the miters or bevels g g. The roller a in each'pair is mounted upon a stud h, secured to a bracket h, which is bolted to a planed or other face 0 formed on the sliding casting or bracket 0. The roller 1) is carried ona hinged armpz', mounted on astud or spindle t", secured to the bracket h.

From the above it will be seen that the roller 1) in each set is'free to move toward and from the roller a.

The face 0 of the bracket c has a pin 0 which fits a hole 7L3 in the bracket it; while a bolt it passes through a hole 72. and through a curved slot 0 By slackening the bolt h and turning the bracket h on the pin 0 the angle of inclination of each set of rollers a b can be adjusted or regulated, after which the bolt 77; is tightened up, as will be understood. The spindle n is rotatable within the hinged shackle n so that variation of the angle of inclination of rollers a Z) does not affect the action of the spindle n. A

The action of the rollers a b in each set are electrically controlled, so as to be operative or inoperative, as desired. \Ve arrange for the passing cloth A to make or break an electric circuit, the-completion of the circuit setting the rollers in action, so that the cloth is cause the cloth A to pass over a contact-plate j, carried by each bracket 0. Upon this con- IOO tact-plate bears a finger 7a, loosely pivoted at Each bracket 0 carries a magnetic coil or coils Z, supplied with current, say, by the wire Z, from a dynamo, battery, or other suitable source, the current being conveyed from the coils to the hinged finger 7.: or its bracket. The return-wire Z from the dynamo is connected up to the back of the contact-platej, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, or otherwise. In conjunction with the magnetic coils we arrange a hinged or pivoted armature m, the armature being connected to the hinged roller-support i by means of an adjustable or other link or arm n. This link or arm n may be formed with notches n n to engage the slotted end i of the hinged support '2'. The notch n of the link or arm n engaging the slotted end 1' holds the roller Z) loosely to the roller a, the notch n being utilized to hold the roller 1) entirely clear when inserting the cloth.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the contact of the finger 70 with the plate j makes or breaks the circuit, the completion of the circuit causing the armature to be strongly attracted by the coils I, so that the roller 1) is pulled into firm contact with the roller a and frictionally operated so as to stretch or open the cloth at that side.

\Vooden or other insulators 0 0 are utilized to insulate the finger, contact-plate, and armature.

The working of the apparatus is as follows: The brackets 0 having been set to the required width, the cloth is inserted between the roller a bin each set, so that the selvages run under the fingers 70 on either hand. So long as the fabric runs centrally and at an even width the rollers remain inoperative and the fabric is passed 011 to the succeeding machine. Immediately the fabric runs narrow or unevenly the selvage does not support or is withdrawn from below one of the fingers 7c, whereupon such finger falls against the contact-plate and the circuit is completed. Upon this taking place the armature m is strongly attracted and the roller 1) drawn into firm contact with roller a, the revolution of the rollers at once opening out the passing fabric in the direction of its width. So long as the fabric runs narrow the rollers continue to open it out; but as soon as the running of the normal width is resumed the fabric lifts the finger and the circuit is broken, whereupon the armature falls away and the roller 1) is released. The roller hinge or pivot t" is set back out of the vertical, so as to immediately fall out of action, as shown in Fig. 7, ora spring 0 may be used to push away the armature.

In the drawings we have shown the rollers 11 as provided with rubber coverings or envelops, say, one-fourth inch thick or upward. The rollers a are formed from metal and have circumferential serrations. If desired, the rollers a may be positively driven by a band or the like, the rollers being provided with a grooved pulley t, as indicated in Fig. 8. \Ve prefer that the rollers a b, 850., shall run on ball-bearings, as indicated in Fig. 8.

Our invention is particularly applicable for guiding and controlling fabrics passing to stretchingmachines or to stentering -machines, printing-machines, and the like.

\Ve declare that what we claim is- 1. In an electrically-controlled cloth-governing apparatus, such as is herein described, sets of rollers a, 1), between which, the cloth passes, in combination with contact-plates over which the cloth passes and upon which a finger it bears at times, said finger when supported breaking an electric circuit so that the rollers 0., Z), are inoperative, and when unsupported completing said circuit so that the rollers a, Z), become operative and act on the fabric, substantially as described.

2. In an electrically-controlled cloth-governing apparatus, brackets c, movable endwise, said movable brackets carrying magnetcoils and an armature, and provided with a contact -plate and pivoted finger, and with sets of rollers, one of said rollers being movable toward and from the other, substantially as herein described.

3. In an eleetrically-controlled cloth-governing apparatus brackets c, rollers a, I), mounted thereon, means for adjusting the angle of inclination of said rollers to the horizontal, a contact-platcj, and a pivoted finger 70, said bracket also carrying magnet-coils Z, and an armature m, attraction of said armature rendering said rollers operative, substantially as described.

4. In combination in an electrically-controlled cloth-governing apparatus, brackets 0 having friction-rollers a, b, means for moving such brackets endwise comprising two independent screwed spindles c and miter-wheels, and a loose intermediate miter-wheel the screwed spindles the handle f foroperating one of the screwed spindles and the other being operated through the miter-gear, all in the manner and substantially as described and shown.

5. In an electrically-controlled cloth-governing apparatus, a bracket 0, carrying two sets of rollers a, 1), arranged to act on a passing fabric, contact -plates j in connection therewith, loose or pivoted fingers 7c operated by the presence or absence of the fabric below, so as to break or make an electric circuit and means controlled by the electric cir- 'cuit whereby rollers a, b, are rendered inoperative or operative as required.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM WOOD. EDWARD NIGIITINGALE.

\Vitnesses:

RICHARD IBBERSON, ALFRED Yarns. 

